The NBA season is in its beginning stages, as the opening week has taken the sports world by storm. With rookies looking to make their mark, to season vets looking to continue their dominance, the NBA is gearing up to be one of it's best seasons yet. With many teams looking to take down the Golden State Warriors, there is always time to debate who could take home the postseason awards. The season has just started, but the MVP and award discussions are already in midseason form. Who is projected to take home the hardware?
MVP: LeBron James
LeBron James, even in his 15th season in the NBA, still has something to prove.
He is coming into the season with new fire, a fire that might've been caused by the Kyrie Irving Trade. It is hard to win MVP with a player like Irving on your team, but now that he is gone, LeBron will the center of everything in Cleveland. He is the first scoring option, the primary ball-handler, and probably the top rebounder. James looks like he wants to get that MVP trophy, and he has the perfect opportunity to get it. If he can play like he did in their season opener against the Celtics, the MVP trophy race might be over before it even started.
Sixth Man: Eric Gordon
Rockets guard Eric Gordon will be a repeat champion for the sixth man of the year award. Gordon is the perfect fit in Mike D'Antoni's system in Houston, with his three-point shooting and ability to convert on drives in the paint.
Playing with CP3 will help Gordon even more as he can solely focus on scoring buckets as D'Antoni said Harden or Paul will be on the court at all times. The system works so perfectly for Gordon that he will play even better than last year off the bench, giving him another sixth man of the year award.
Rookie of the Year: Ben Simmons
This might be his second year technically in the league, but a broken bone in his foot held Ben Simmons out last year. Now that he is fully healthy, Simmons is ready to show everyone why he was the No. 1 overall pick. Simmons played exceptionally well in his first game, having 18 points, ten rebounds, and five assists.
Simmons made all the right decisions passing the ball, making great passes. He also was able to finish with either hand in the paint. He is playing point-forward for the Sixers, and his LeBron James play style will allow him to become a star in the league and win rookie of the year.
Defensive player of the year: Hassan Whiteside
Hassan Whiteside is a physical presence in the paint, and it was evident last season, averaging two blocks a game. Whiteside's defense was overlooked last season, as his ability to guard the perimeter is exceptionally well for a big man. If the Heat can generate some success this season, maybe Whiteside's defensive skills can be noticed by more people. His paint protection is one of the league's best, and he will have a dominant year, running away with the defensive player of the year.
Coach of the year: Billy Donovan
The Thunder have made a bunch of offseason moves that include trading for both Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. Head coach Billy Donovan already has a superstar talent in Westbrook, so he has a huge task ahead of him. He will need to make sure each star gets enough touches, along with making sure the right player gets the ball in clutch situations. Donovan is already a good coach, but his ability to mesh three iso-ball handlers together and turn it into a cohesive offense will help them win games and help him get the coach of the year award.
The season is young, and many experts and fans will debate who gets these awards all season. These are my predictions for the beginning of the season, with these selection based on what I saw from the offseason and opening week. Enjoy the NBA season, and enjoy the debates!
